Tube-coupling in multiple units.



R. A. GALLY.

TUBE COUPLING IN MULTIPLE UNITS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, I9l3.

1,172,590. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

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M'fnewwed? 0 WOW -2 lz'zvazzzarx UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. GALLY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASBIGNOR TO THE BALDWIN COMPANY, 01' CINCINNATI, OHIO.

' TUBE-COUPLING IN MULTIPLE UNITS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ronza'r A. GALLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at C1ncinnati, in the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Tube-Couplings in Multip e Units, of which the following is a specification.

Previous attempts in making a separable joint for a group of several tubes, have consisted in attaching the two parts of each tube of the group to the outer faces of two blocks, and placing the two inner faces of the blocks together, with clamps to hold the blocks in joined position. When used for pur oses requiring great certainty of joint, as or a self-playing musical instrument or equally delicate mechanism, there is risk of leakage at such facing'joint. In the present structure each tube has its own individual slip coupling, the several cou lings of a group being assembled in a multiple unit.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of the multiple unit coupling connected together, some of the tubes being removed to show the nipples; Fig. 2 a front view; Fig. 3, a side view of the coupling when separated, and Fig. 4 is a side view of modified forms of the couplings.

Each tube 1 of. a group to be coupled is attached to a tubular nipple 2, extending beyond said tube and axially in line with an opposed nipple 3 to which the corresponding continuing tube 4 is attached at the farther end of said second nipple 3. There are as many pairs of opposed nipples 2 and 3 as there are tubes 1 and 4 to be detachably coupled. A coupling 5 connects together each pair of opposed nipples 2 and 3, being cheaply made of the waste pieces from the stock from which tubes 1 and 4 are cut, usually rubber. These couplings 5 are preferably placed on the one set of nipples, as 2, so they will remain with said nipples 2 as the sets of nipples 2 and 3 are separated. It is also desirable to slant the inner ends of one set of nipples as 3, from which the couplings 5 remove, so that the slip-joints 5 can be easil slid over said nipples 3 b starting sai couplings 5 over the smal point of the slanted end of said nipple 3.

The nipples as 2 for one group of tubes as 1 are held collectively as by holder6,

while the opposite set of nipples as 3 are similarly collectively held as by holder 7, the

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

two sets of nipples being in axial alinement as to each palr of ni ples.

The two sets of nlpples 2 and 3, and couplings 5, are drawn together and held coupled by binder-means as 8 and 9 or other suitable devices coactin with the two holders 6 and 7. The threa ed ends 10 of binders 8 and 9 extend to a proper distance from their shoulders 11 which engage plate 6 that they will commence to en ge plate 7 and draw plates 6 and 7, nipp es 2 and 3, and coupling 5 together immediately after couplings 5 ave started on to the slants of nipples 3 and the two sets of nipples 2 and 3 have come into axial alinement.

To aid the starting and guiding of nipples and slip-joints in their coupling, a sideguide or flange 12 is attached to one ed of holder 7 and the corresponding edge 0 holder 6 is fitted to match against said guide 12. A vertical guide or rest 13 'is fastened at the bottom of holder 7 and slanted downward toward the holder 7, and holder 6 is fitted-to bear on said rest 13 so that the couplings 5 will start on and finish their coupling 0n nlpples 3 in proper manner.

The binders 8 and 9 if of a screw form, may have any suitable head or slot for" their control, but a thumb-screw head 14 if specially convenient. For greater convenience in operating these binders 8 and 9, they are continued out from holder 6 well beyond nipples 2.

Stops 15 on screw ends 10 of binders 8 and 9 prevent overstraining of holder 6 by shoulders 11. A handle or retractor 16 is provided for convenience in separating the two parts of the device, the front of said retractor 16 extending beyond the nipples 2, and having a handle 17.

As my invention is a novel departure in coupling in multiple, various modifications will be subject to claims hereof, as for example, the rubber couplings 5 may be inserted in holes instead of going on ide of g bes,1 etc., some of such being shown in at I claim as my invention, is:

1. A plurality of tubes having a division of each at a substantially common position as to their lengths, a. nipple to each tube at said division, a sliding coupling to each pair of nipples at said division, a holder means at each side of said division, each holder retaining all the nipples at that side of the division in axial alinement of'theirends to the ends of the nipples of the other division, and

screw means for detachably drawing together and clamping said holders and cou plings in connected relation, said screw means having a stop thereon adapted to check against the part of the apparatus with which said screw-means has its screw-engagement.

2. A plurality of tubes having a division of each at a substantially common position as to their lengths, a nipple to each tube at said division, a sliding coupling to each pair of nipples at said division, and a means for holding together all the nipples at each side of said division in opposite relation of their ends to the ends of the nipples of the opposite side, and a screw means for detachably drawing together and clamping said couplings as a unit, said screw means having a stop thereon adapted to check against the part of the apparatus with which said screwmeans has its screw-engagement.

3. A pluralit of tubes having a division of each at\ a su stantially common position as to theirdengths, a nipple to each tube at said division, a sliding coupling to each pair of nipples at said division, a holder means at each side of said division, each holder re taining all the nipples at that side of the di vision in axial alinement of their ends to the ends of the nipples of the other division, and means for detachably drawing together and clamping said holders and couplings in connected relation, and a guide flange attached to an edge of one of said holders and extending across and beyond the similar edge of the other said holder.

.4. A plurality of tubes having a division of each at a substantially common position as to their lengths, a nipple to each tube at said division, a sliding coupling to each pair of nipples at said division, and a means for holding together all the nipples at each side of said division in opposite relation of their ends to the ends of the nipples of the opposite side, screw means for detachably drawing together and clamping said couplings as a unit, and a. guide means determining the position of said holders one to the other as to the axial alinement of said nipples one to another.

5. A multiple unit coupling consisting of two opposed members, each comprising a plurality of nipples extending outwardly from each said member towardthe other, each said nipple of one member being in axial alinement with the opposed nipple of the other member, and a flexible and slidable sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both nipples of that pair, each said member and its nipples being ad acent to the other said member and its nipples.

6. A multiple unit coupling consisting of two opposed members, each' comprising a plurality of nipples extending outwardly from each holder toward the other, each said nipple of one member being inaxial alinement to the opposed nipple of the other member, the opposed end of one of each pair of nipples being slanted, and a slidable sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both nipples of that pair, and a beveled guiding means adapted to'guide one said member to the other, the slant of said guiding means being in similar direction to the slant of said nipples.

7. A multiple unit coupling consisting of two opposed members, each comprising a plurality of nipples extending outwardly from each said member toward the other, each said nipple of one member being in axial alinement to the opposed nipple of the other member, and a slidable sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both nipples of that pair, each said member and its nipples being adjacent to the other said member and its nipples, and each said sleeve of approximately the same length as the total length of its two nipples.

8. A multiple unit coupling consisting of two opposed members, each comprising a plurality of nipples extending outwardly from each said member toward the other, each said .nipple of one member being in axial alinement with the opposed nipple of the other member, and a flexible and slidable sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both nipples of that pair; each said member and its nipples being adjacent to the other said member and its nipples, and each said sleeve of approximately the same length as the total length of its two nipples.

9. A plurality of tubes having a division of each at a substantially common position as to their lengths, a terminal to each tube at said division, a sliding coupling to each pair of terminals at said division, a holder means ateach side of said division, each holder retainin all the terminals at that side of the division in axial alinement of their ends to the ends of the terminals of the other division, and means for detachably drawing together and clamping said holders, terminals and couplings in connected relation, and a guide flange attached toan edge of one of said holders and extending across and beyond the similar edge of the other said holder.

10. A multiple unit coupling consisting of two opposed members, each comprising a plurality of nipples, each said nipple of one member being in axial alinement with and opposite to the opposed nipple of the other member, and a flexible and slidable sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both nipples of that pair, each said member and its nipples being adjacent to the other said member and its nipples.

11. A multiple unit coupling consisting of two opposed members, each comprisin a plurality of nipples, each said nipple 0 one member bein in axial alinement with and opposite to t e other member, and a opposed nipple of the s ldable sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both 7 sleeve to each opposed pair of nipples and engaging both nipples of that pair; each said member and its nipples being adjacent to the-other said mem r and its nipples,

and each said sleeve of a proximately the same length as the totalength of its two nipples.

1 13. A multiple unit coupling consisting of pluraht of tubes, each said tube having a termina in axial alinem'ent with and opposite to. the opposed terminal of the corres onding tube of the o posed member, and a' exible and slidable s eeve to each opposed pair of terminals and engaging both terminals of that pair, each said member and its terminals bemg adjacent to the other said member and its terminals.

- ROBT. A. GALLY. Witnesses:

two opposed members, each comprising a I 

